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Topic: Ancient Gugin Music (Read 18817 times)

On the "old" forum, 9dragons had a thread going on this. He posted some really interesting links to live performances recently. 9dragons, do you still have those links and would you post them again? Thanks, Harry D

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A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kickboxing.

Many thanks for reviving this one, Harry. I kept thinking about doing it, but only had the links from the most recent post. I guess it's as good a place to start as any, and actually a great resource for exploring the Guqin:

Listened to some Li Xianting today. I was in a bad mood, perhaps drank too much coffee. Listening to the crystal notes of Mr. Li's masterful Guqin playing suddenly mellowed me out and summoned a wellspring of emotion. Wow, this music is amazing. I can feel a new Guqin listening phase coming on, and I encourage everyone out there to try out, or re-ignite your interest in, this wonderful art form. And then let's talk about it...

I have a lot of Hugo stuff, but all their Guqin stuff is out of print. They are bad bastards too, not to be trusted. I tried to order a bunch of their Guqin cds directly from them a few years back, and they only sent me a fraction of what I ordered, and totally burned me on refund.

I don't have the album you mention, but if I remember right there are some masterful works on there...

"IN July 2003, a guqin debuted in an auction in China when the 1,000-year-old instrument was purchased by a mysterious buyer for 3.465 million yuan (US$418,000)."

This is amazing! Nearly half a million dollars for a 1000 year old qin! When I try to understand what that really means, a musical instrument touched and played by human hands for ten centuries, I almost choke up. It fills me with awe to imagine the maker of this instrument, putting the final touches on it, then perhaps playing it for the first time, before sending it out into the vastness of time. Could you even imagine 1000 years into the future, someone playing that very instrument. If that qin could talk, o the tales it would tell...

Wonderful clips! Guzheng is so beautiful, exquisite. I have many albums, but my favorit is perhaps "The Chinese Cheng: Ancient and Modern", by Liang Tsai-Ping, an outstanding master. It's out on the Lyrichord label, and I highly recommend it if you are a fan of zheng.

I have to say, though, that the guqin affects me in an entirely different way, and I get much deeper into it. It feels very different, much more ancient and yet "personal" than the zheng.

Guqin was featured in the Olympics opening, which I did not see. But Chen Leiji played, it must have been quite intense for him. Wish I could have seen it. Here is an interesting article on the musical aspects of the opening ceremonies:

solyaris

Wonderful clips! Guzheng is so beautiful, exquisite. I have many albums, but my favorit is perhaps "The Chinese Cheng: Ancient and Modern", by Liang Tsai-Ping, an outstanding master. It's out on the Lyrichord label, and I highly recommend it if you are a fan of zheng.

more precisely ... I'm a fan of Alice Coltrane

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I have to say, though, that the guqin affects me in an entirely different way, and I get much deeper into it. It feels very different, much more ancient and yet "personal" than the zheng.

I understand.

Do you know if some artist used Guzheng or Guqin out of chinese traditional music ? in ambient music pheraps ?

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Guqin was featured in the Olympics opening, which I did not see. But Chen Leiji played, it must have been quite intense for him. Wish I could have seen it. Here is an interesting article on the musical aspects of the opening ceremonies:

Do you know if some artist used Guzheng or Guqin out of chinese traditional music ? in ambient music pheraps ?

I studied gu zheng for several years with Zhang Yan (a master musician from Mainland China who performed for Nixon when he visited China) from the mid-80s to the early-90s. Zheng is a prominent instrument on my "World Diary" and "Folklore" albums, and is even present on my earlier "Wolf At the Ruins" CD. Yan was a very special teacher who died young in 1997. I have not played the instrument much since Yan passed away, although I did play it on Robert Rich's "Temple of the Invisible" in 2003.

Forrest

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solyaris

I studied gu zheng for several years with Zhang Yan (a master musician from Mainland China who performed for Nixon when he visited China) from the mid-80s to the early-90s. Zheng is a prominent instrument on my "World Diary" and "Folklore" albums, and is even present on my earlier "Wolf At the Ruins" CD. Yan was a very special teacher who died young in 1997. I have not played the instrument much since Yan passed away, although I did play it on Robert Rich's "Temple of the Invisible" in 2003.

Forrest

Thanks Forrest

1997 mean almost 12 years ago; the sorrow could be now surpassed by new joy;that's I wish you.In facts "Temple of the Invisible" is one of few Robert's work I don't know.

BTW, looking on youtube at this Chinese / Vietnamese string instruments, I discovered by chance another beautiful device: the the Dan Bau, the Vietnamese monochord:

I studied gu zheng for several years with Zhang Yan (a master musician from Mainland China who performed for Nixon when he visited China) from the mid-80s to the early-90s. Zheng is a prominent instrument on my "World Diary" and "Folklore" albums, and is even present on my earlier "Wolf At the Ruins" CD. Yan was a very special teacher who died young in 1997. I have not played the instrument much since Yan passed away, although I did play it on Robert Rich's "Temple of the Invisible" in 2003.

Forrest, you've got me inspired to listen to "Temple of the Invisible"; it's an all time favorite album of mine, but I haven't put it on in a while. Are there any recordings of Zhang Yan available?

Have you considered taking up the guqin? It has to be a fascinating instrument to play, and is probably quite intimidating, considering its deep history. Strange also that it has not really been used in ambient, as the possiblities are extremely rich and wide open. Perhaps it is ultimately not suited for accompaniment with any other sound or instrument (even combined with flute, though pleasant, somehow never sounds completely fulflilling). I think David Liang Ming Yue may have tried using the guqin for new age music, but I haven't heard these recordings...

I love Temple of the Invisible. You played on that forrest? Nice work- I'll listen to it again now as well. How did you meet Robert? I love his album "Open Window" - I really identify with that style of piano playing. Any news of that hand accident of his? I'm assuming it must be all better now going by his recent output.

I am sure I will continue playing the gu zheng; it's a special instrument and of course I have fond memories associated with it. I actually have 2 of them, a large one with silk-wound strings and a smaller steel-stringed one that is more of a beginner's instrument. Funny that you should mention the dan bau. I have one of those, too; very tough to play--all harmonics!

9dragons,

Zhang Yan has only 2 CDs I'm aware of; one was released in Taiwan and the other in Hong Kong. The first one features more solo performances and the second one is orchestral and features a chromatic "double zheng" that was built for her. I don't know if they are still available.

Yes, I've considered the guqin. Very cool sounding. Thought it was a bit tough for me to me to tackle. No frets--only dots on the fingerboard and a lot of glissandi. I used to have an LP by David Liang Ming.

Mirko,

Yes, I play gu zheng on track 6 of 'Temple..'--an extended improv that Robert somehow coaxed into shape. I met Robert at a Jorge Reyes concert in 1994; I was introduced to him by Stephen Hill of HOS. As for your question about Robert's hand injury, I don't think it has completely healed, but he has made adjustments as to what he can play and has even built new flutes to accommodate his playing limitations.

Not sure if I've mentioned the guqin player Sou Si-tai, but was listening to his recent album "The Fisherman and the Woodcutter" last night and it is not to be missed by and guqin fan. He made his own instrument, and uses silk strings, and has a very old world, silent drift style that enhances the space and distance. Absolutely wonderful, with all kinds of clicky, cicada like microsounds going on in there.

Not sure if I've mentioned the guqin player Sou Si-tai, but was listening to his recent album "The Fisherman and the Woodcutter" last night and it is not to be missed by and guqin fan. He made his own instrument, and uses silk strings, and has a very old world, silent drift style that enhances the space and distance. Absolutely wonderful, with all kinds of clicky, cicada like microsounds going on in there.

With winter coming on full force, guqin sounds so excellent and full of austere elegance, warming up the house. Listening to some Li Xiangting albums of improvised guqin, that were acquired in Beijing. Kind of difficult to find these outside of China, but I actually just found a new web page dedicated to Mr. Li: http://www.chineseculture.net/wangfei/lxt/

And has anyone checked out this great music store (for both instruments and albums) in San Francisco Chinatown. I went there last Yuletide time and found some wonderful stuff:

I play gu zheng on track 6 of 'Temple..'--an extended improv that Robert somehow coaxed into shape.

Listened to it last night, and was mesmerized. Your playing is fascinating on this track, it almost sounds like a completely different instrument, and melds wonderfully with what I think is a wooden xylophone (not sure). The whole album is a masterpiece as far as I am concerned, and I wish Rich would follow up on it somehow. He might see it as rehashing something he's already done, but I'd love to see another album in this vein. There is so much to be explored. I for one would very much like to see a collaboration between you and Robert featuring the guzheng...that would be amazing...

I am just curious, how well was this album received by (for lack of a better term) "the ambient community" when it came out? How does it rank in terms of popularity amongst Roberts discography?